Improvement in explosive substances and processes of manufacturing the same



JOHN BELL MUSGHAMP, OF ELSHAM ROAD, KENSING-TON, GREAT BRITAIN.

IMPROVEMENT IN EXPLOSIVE SUBSTANCES AND PROCESSES 0F MANUFACTURlNGTHE-SAME.

Specification formingpart of Letters-Patent No. 128,450, dated June 25, 1872 'Srnerrrearron. g I, JOHN BELL MUSOHAMP, of Elsham Road,

Kensington, in the county of Middlesex. and

Kingdom of Great Britain, paper manufacturer, have invented an Improved Explosive Substance and Process for Manufacturing the Same, of which the following is a specification: H

This invention relates to an improved explosive compound manufactured by a novel treatment of lignine or cellulose woody fiber, which is not only found in wood, but in all kinds of fibrous plants and other forms-of vegetation. I, however, find it most advantageous to use the fiber found'in various kinds of wood 5 and I prefer hard wood, such as is now converted into charcoal for the manufacture of gunpowder. I will therefore more particu larly refer to-wood in the following. description.

In practicing my invention, the first operation is the disintegration of the wood, which i accomplish by crushing itbetween ordinary rollers or by means of a clipping-machine, taking care to reduce it as small as possible. The whole of the sap and mineral salts contained in the wood must then be extracted or neutralized, to accomplish which object the wood is boiled for about six hours in. a suitable boiler at a pressure of from two to three hundred pounds'to the square inch in a strong solution of caustic soda or other suitable alkali. It is then thoroughly washed with pure water in a poaching-engine, after. which it is removed to a beater, and when reduced to the proper shortness is put into a strainer or drying-engine and afterward'spread on traysand thoroughly dried by the application of a slow heat. Having been thusmade perfectly clean and dry this fibrous-pulp is steeped in a bath consisting of a solution of nitrous or nitric and sulphuric acids in the proportions of about one part of nitrous or nitric acid of a specific gravity of about 1.50 with two parts, by volume, of sulphuric acid of a specific gravity of from 1.80 to 1.84; but I'do not strictly confine myself to these proportionsfor allpnrposes. The fiber, which is not put into this bath until the acids have been well mixed and allowed tocool, is kept therein for from twenty-four to thirty hours, during which time it is occasionally stirred up with a glass red; It

is then removed and thoroughly washed, either in a poaching-engine or by submitting it to the action of a running stream for about twentyone days, for the purpose of removing the-free acids; and,-if necessary, for the perfect accomplishment of this object, it is afterward steeped for from. to .twoto 'six hours in any suitable alkaline solution; but I prefer that made of soda ash or carbonate of potassa, in the proportion of one ounce to two ounces of either of these substances to the gallon of water, heated to about 110 Fahrenheit. The campound is then thoroughly washed in water in apoaching engine and afterward dried, 'in the manner before described, the heat. being applied, by preference, either by hot water or steam. This I call the first dip, and I recommendthat the explosive compound thus preparedbe used for shells and torpedoes and for blasting. When an extra strong explosive is required I steep the compound in a solution of sulphate-or nitrate of soda, but I prefer nitrate of potash or any similar explosive substance'for from one to six hours, according to the degree of strength of explosiveness to be imparted to'the compound, which is then again dried in the manner last described. After the compound has been removed from the bath, as before described, I placetherein a second quantity of fiber and allow it to remain there for the same period as the first quantity, and

treat it in every other respect in the same manner. This I call the second dip, and the compound thus prepared will be of less explosive strength than that prepared by the first dip, and will be found more suitable for military and sporting purposes. a

When a still weaker explosive is required 1 use the acids a third time, after treating the compound in the manner already described.

To retard the rapidity of the explosion of this compound, when such is required, I steep it, after it has been prepared as above described, in a solution of starch; andfor this purpose I prefer white starch, the time during which the fiber is allowed to remain therein being regulated according to the amount of re tardation required.

' For ordinary military and sportin g purposes I find from one to two hoursmost advantageous, and for shells, torpedoes,blastin g, and like purposes, from a quarter to half an hour.

When necessary, and after the compound has been made up into charges, I coatthemwvith scmewater-procfing material, which may be either a eollodion made from my explosive compound, or it solution of gutta pereha, Indiarubber, or other like substance.

Having thus particularly described and uscert-"mined the nature of my said invention, and

the manner in which the same is to or maybe performed, I claim- The improved explosive substance and process of manufacturing the same, substantially 

